Ten on Tues-, 'scuse me, Wednesday

Yesterday's Ten on Tuesday challenge was Ten Things You Wish You Knew How To Do. Not at all challenging, since loads of things come to mind (my egocentric self is asking for: how to knit! how to speak French! how to finish a dissertation in time! how to add two extra hours to each day! My world-improving self is requesting: how to improve women's lives! how to end world hunger and poverty! how to end war! how to stop racism/sexism/homophobia!). Having talked to the Hubs about realistic things I wish I knew how to do over dinner last night, I've come up with this list of seven:

1. Read sheet music, sing, and play the piano (I used to sing in different C-list choirs during childhood, teenage years, and early twenties. I've always wanted to learn how to play the piano, and Grandma B. took me to a music school when I was four or five years old to sign me up for piano lessons. Alas, I was turned away because my fingers were deemed "too short" and "too fat" to stand a chance of becoming a world-famous pianist, and in those days [and in that country] children without promising prospects for fame weren't supported much. Because I was predicted to grow to six feet tall I was put on a basketball team, however.)

2. Speak an additional language. That's on top of improving my French, Russian, and Latin. The new language is going to be one of these: Czech, Polish, Yiddish, Hebrew, or Finnish.

3. Do photography, like grandfather J. and my dad did. Grandpa was a passionate photographer; my dad inherited his darkroom equipment but somehow lost interest in keeping up with photography. I'd love to know how to do it properly.

4. Keep a garden. Again, our daydreams take the Hubs and me to a place where we'll stay longer than a mere two years. We think: house, pets, garden. I want to have an herb garden! I'd love to know how to care for plants.

5. I wish I knew how to speak in public confidently. I still get very, very nervous.

6. Sewing. My MIL used to sew clothes for her family (including four bridesmaid dresses, her own wedding dress, all clothes for the child-version of Hubs...). I think I need to spend a summer with her and have her teach me how to sew.

7. Carpentry. All men in my family are terribly crafty. My dad built a house and completely renovated a rotten city apartment (wiring it anew, building brick walls, taking some down, tiling, redoing wooden floors... ). I think I'd like to do things with wood. (Think built-in bookshelves.)

And here's one thing I used to think I wanted to know how to do well: cooking. I finally admitted to myself that while the Hubs gets a real kick out of cooking, I find it only mildly pleasant. So why force it? It's his Cook's Illustrated subscription anyway...

Voilà!